183 comments:

Here's my standard reminder... don't post the answer or any hints that could lead directly to the answer (e.g. via a chain of thought, or an internet search) before the deadline of Thursday at 3pm ET. If you know the answer, click the link and submit it to NPR, but don't give it away here.

You may provide indirect hints to the answer to show you know it, but make sure they don't give the answer away. You can openly discuss your hints and the answer after the Thursday deadline. Thank you.

Thanks, Chuck.A homophonic variation of either the creature or the city is an answer to a part of one of my Puzzleria! puzzles posted sometime during the past year. The city seems to be quite "wordplay-friendly."

It was fun to hear you this morning, Lego. Good work on a tough on-air challenge.

How I landed on today's solution, which I commend myself for getting in a snap: I did not box myself into pre-conceived answers as I sometimes do, I did not muddy my thinking with extraneous thoughts which I _always_ do, and I concentrated with all the focus of a young warrior. ---Rob

Correct you are, jan. Three pins; two lapels: quite a quandary! So I duckduckgoogled "jacket with three lapels" and found this site, which, as Paul sartorially and astutely noted, is very "Bondian." It confused me. I am not very "Bondian." I tend to skew more "Gold-Bondian"! Thus I have concluded that my strategy should focus not on maximizing the number of lapels but rather on maximizing lapel surface area. Therefore, I shall henceforth shop so as to stock my closet with jackets like this one.

Nice job Lego. Thanks to NPR's version of Rose Mary Woods we may never know what was really on the tapes, but it sounded fine on air. No impeachment of your puzzle prowess.

Second week I had the answer before WS had finished the question, I must be _____ (9 letters, 1 word. Drop the consecutive letters 'OT' and what remains when read in order will be what I wish I were (in 7 letters).

Seriously, the puzzle seems so easy giving a clue would be a bit of a dirty trick.

So Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is presenting their final performance in New York as I type this. They say they have found homes for all the animals, but what about the human performers? I suppose the clowns will find work, but what about the others? The midgets, of course, will go on to short careers in Hollywood even though they are frequently overlooked.

Ringling Bros just couldn't compete with the circus that is DC politics. Spicey, Kushey, Conway, Pencey, etc. are hilarious while putting a sad face on all of us.

Slightly seriously, I think we can credit Cirque du Soleil with a part in the demise, letting people realize that we can be entertained without capturing wild animals. I first saw them in 1988, under a real tent, well before they became Vegasized.

Natasha,This is true, however if the Greatest Show On Earth, with only a small percentage of clowns, is failing, then the D.T. administration, with almost 100% clowns is bound to fail, and quickly too. Hopefully these nefarious clowns will not be overlooked.

eco,I think you have a very perceptive point there, and here I thought you were in the business of designing solid, long lasting enclosures, not canvas tents. But then again, I do have strong memories of Texas Governor John Connally, a fake Democrat at the time, filmed on a guided safari in Africa, where he exuded his massive Texas size masculinity, by shooting a magnificent bull elephant. When he shot the beautiful animal it literally jumped, all four feet, into the air and dropped over dead. I was, and still am, sickened every time I replay it in my mind. Another fond memory I cherish like a colonoscopy is the much later TV program showing the failed actor, Fess Parker, pretend to be Davy Crockett and go dressed likewise on a hunt in the wild. I can only assume, given his lifelong admiration of that nasty person he so in-authentically portrayed in the Disney crap Davy Crockett trilogy, must have read his diaries which describe a serial killer of Native American Indians with great glee.

eco,I have always been an expert shot with every weapon I have tried. I have always been enamored with guns. I love the outdoors and stalking wild animals. I have little or no fear of them. I have never been able to comprehend why some people get pleasure out of killing. I have killed rats that entered the house, and was pleased to do so, but at the same time took no pleasure in the killing. I was always conflicted, even when it was necessary. I have never killed to prove my self worth or for pleasure. It disgusts me.

I've tried pistol and rifle shooting; we used to name our kills, with which I only had a few successes. I recall the names of Bud, Miller, Schaefer, and Pabst. And before you draught critiques, it was the 1970's and I was too young to drink.

Olympia, or Oly as we locals called it, was a major brand back in the day. It was brewed in Tumwater, WA, near Olympia, WA. "It's the Water!" was their slogan. And they were right about that too, it was the water.

Spent a great afternoon at Sonoma State University where my granddaughter got her BA in Education!

Since we all have this challenge put away after a few minutes, here is an interesting and simple endeavor: Count the number of electric motors you have. It kind of helps to separate 110/220 volt AC from 6 or 12 V DC.I think I have come up with about 50 110's, but I keep discovering new ones.

2 questions: why and how? What can you possibly do once you know how many electric motors you own? And how could you count them for sure without destroying some of the things they run? I assume every CD reader has at least 3 -- one to spin the disk, one to move the reader arm, and one to eject the disk -- but taking it apart to be certain voids the warranty. Certainly, no user manual tells me how many motors are in the printer/scanner on my desk, or the one on my wife's desk, and I don't even know how many obsolete ones in a closet/attic/basement somewhere. My Prius has a couple of 500-volt motors, but then there's whatever makes that whining noise when I turn it off, plus dozens more, I'm sure, that I'm going to leave undiscovered. Sorry, but I find your challenge neither simple nor interesting.

I think it is kinda fascinating. It's amazing how much we take for granted until it breaks or the power goes out. I like to take apart/repair things and motors are in so many things. When DC motors do bite the dust, I like to take out the permanent magnets to use in the shop or around the house.In fact, where I worked, they used to have a department that could rewind motors. Some of the old machinery was one of a kind and could not be replaced. When the motors would go down there was always hope, and that shop was usually successful!These days things are just "throw away and get a new one". With a little know how many things can be repaired at little or no cost.Besides, even if I can't fix something, it's always good to know how something works so a repairman is less likely to take advantage of you.

Jan: Sorry the exercise doesn't catch your interest. It still does mine.I think that guesses are preferable to disassembly, however. I hope you haven't caused any serious harm.I just spotted a venerable, seldom used milkshake/malted milk maker at the back of a high kitchen cupboard.

I think Jan's thinking of something relevant to this week's puzzle, and it isn't the capture of Joan d'Arc by the Burgundians, nor the 400th birthday of Elias Ashmole (bad name for middle school). It is Ken Jennings' birthday, but that's not what Jan is thinking.

Reminds me of the time I was flying into Redmond, WA, through thick fog, when the nav instruments failed. I began circling around looking for a landmark. Finally, a small opening in the fog appeared and I saw a tall building with a guy working alone on the fifth floor. I banked the plane around, rolled down the window and shouted to the guy, "Hey where am I?"

The man replied, "You're in an airplane." I rolled up the window, executed a 275 degree turn and proceeded to perform a perfect blind landing on the airport runway 5 miles away. My passengers were amazed and one asked how I did it.

"Quite easy," I replied. "I asked the guy in that building a simple question. The answer he gave me was 100 percent correct but absolutely useless, therefore, that must be Microsoft's support office and from there the airport is just five miles dueEast."

Semper fidelis is a Latin phrase that means "always faithful" or "always loyal". It is the motto of the United States Marine Corps usually shortened to Semper fi. The Marines have this motto which means loyalty to the Corps. I am referring to loyalty to Washington apple cores.

I wrote: "How I landed on today's solution, which I commend myself for getting in a snap: I did not box myself into pre-conceived answers as I sometimes do, I did not muddy my thinking with extraneous thoughts which I _always_ do, and I concentrated with all the focus of a young warrior." There are turtles in my hint: Land, Box, Mud, and Teenage Mutant Ninja.

Then Jan included "painted" in her comment on my post, allowing me to reply using "spotted." Wheeee! ---Rob

Yes, I surprised myself and did take the challenge. I get the taping call tomorrow morning at 9:45. I will have to get up early. I almost turned it down, and don't know why I did not follow my intention to turn it down. I got the call about one minute after noon, just after I posted the answer here, and was reaching for my bike helmet and about to go for a ride when the phone rang. It was the furthest thing from my mind as I never expected to get the call.

eco:I almost, when she asked for my address, told her not to bother with sending the prizes, but didn't. I am thinking of offering to mail the pin to Blaine, if he wants it. When she asked me if I have a question for Will I said I don't. But you are right about the whore thing I guess.

SDB: The Billboard creative challenge was the first time I'd entered since the postcard days, mostly because I have plenty of good dictionaries and I really don't want a Sedoku book. I'd take the pin and then ask if they could donate the books and other stuff to a library, or a school, or a retirement home. Unless you like Sedoku.

skydiveboy asks, "Guess who got the call?" I think I'll go with the odds and say "LegoLambda"...What's that? Am I hearing that skydiveboy got the call? And, more amazing yet, took the call! This is good news indeed because I am confident that "some people (namely skydiveboy) will go to almost any lengths in order to promulgate my puzzle blog!"Seriously, sdb, congratulations. I think you will do great. You are a quite smart and clever cookie."

eco:I never did the postcard bit. I have never done Sudoku. I no longer need a new dictionary, I am not at all excited about being on the radio or TV, I've done lots of that and do not understand why so many will do anything to be on TV. I will be donating whatever they send, but if Blaine doesn't want the pin, you are welcome to it, I have many pins and have no use for this one. I sure hope there are no sports questions.

Lego:Thanks. I really did almost not take the call, and I cannot really tell why I did take it. I may have reverted to my old advice to people that they should take unexpected opportunities that come their way even if they seem foolish, especially financially foolish. It could have something to do with the answer being Seattle too, but I'm not sure.BTW, when she asked me the question re: liking puzzles, I did mention you and Puzzleria! among other things. She said she was unaware you were on three times.

Thanks for the P! shout-out with the intern, skydiveboy. You have composed consistently excellent puzzles that you generously allowed me to use on Puzzleria!The second time I got the call, I did mention to the intern that I got the call a year earlier. She said that was fine. I was on cloud nine, thinking I'd be able to plug the fledgling Puzzleria! (then less then 2 months old). I plugged it by name it during the taping, but all that made it on air was " I just started a puzzle blog myself, actually, a couple months ago." No "Puzzleria!" mentions.When I got the call last Thursday I was not asked if I had played on-air previously, so I did not volunteer that I had been a two-time lapel-pin-recipient. So obsessed was I about getting the word "Puzzleria!" on air, that I opted not to jeopardize doing so by blabbing my way out of a thirtd-time on-air opportunity.Good luck tomorrow, though I doubt you'll need it.

SEA TURTLE, SEATTLEAnn and Nancy Wilson from Heart were raised in Seattle. Ryan Stiles from "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" is from Seattle. Tom Hanks starred in "Sleepless In Seattle". Congratulations, SDB.

jan:Serious answer to your question. No. I do close up magic, i.e. cards, coins, rope, etc. I can take two decks of cards, one shuffled and the other out of the box. Both decks are new. I leave the room after instructing those remaining to take the unshuffled deck and turn it face up and put them in random order as if they had been shuffled. When I return to the room I will then fan the two decks out face up and immediately tell which deck was actually shuffled and which was intentionally randomized. I suspect you can figure out why and how.

I mentioned last week (to no comment) that I cannot find in the written or verbal forms of the Puzzle's rules any mention of the need to submit "correct answers" or to expect "random selection" of contestants.Are these still there somewhere?

I wish I could win again soon. Lego and SDB are very lucky members of this blog. I don't know if SDB has won before, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he had. We should all be as fortunate as Lego, though. I mean, THREE times? Oh well, I guess when it's your time to be called, it's your time. And for the rest of us, better luck next time. Maybe I'll get the next one. Who knows.

I have not "won" before. I also do not believe in luck. I am unsure if it does not exist at all, but I know for certain it does not always exist. There is not room for me to explain why I have this understanding here, sorry.

sdb,One thing I meant to do last week was to give Blainesville a shout-out. I did not do this, of course, because I was too busy giving myself shout-outs.I was also going to ask Will Shortz why there were no Creative 2-weel challenge honorable mentions posted on the NPR puzzle web site.Bon Chance! Keep calm. There is no way you'll be shut out.

I just finished the taping about 3 minutes ago. They phoned me and got the sound all set up and then I had to wait for Lulu to arrive. I was informed when she did arrive and the next thing I heard was Will saying to disconnect as he could not hear. After some time of their not hearing me I hung up and waited several minutes for them to call back. When they did I was informed they fixed the problem on their end and then we began. That was interesting.

I thought it went fairly well. They did an alternate ending that involved reading a letter.

After it ended I asked Will if he had received the most recent puzzle I sent and he said he did, but thought it was more suitable for use in print. I said I would let Joe use it.

Yes, I think it does. I didn't expect to enjoy it, but I did enjoy it. I wanted to record it, but don't have the necessary equipment, so it will be interesting to hear how it comes out come Sunday morning.

I played on-air a little over ten years ago. And then just about a year later I got picked again. The producer who called me didn’t ask if I had ever played before but I volunteered the information. I told him I’d be happy to play on-air again, but opined that it might piss off some folks, being so soon after the last time. I offered to let him pick someone else if he wanted to. He did and thanked me for the offer. Never been called again.

We offer nine fresh puzzles onPuzzleria! this week, just uploaded it this morning.Also, there is a pretty clear photo of the NPR lapel pin posted near the top of this week's blog. skydiveboy will soon get one of these from his postman or postwoman or "letter and lapel pin carrier."Go to Blaine's PUZZLE LINKS and link to Joseph Young's Puzzleria!skydiveboy, Glad to hear you had fun this morning. I think all of us here at Blainesville look forward to Sunday AM. Thanks for your offer to use your "more-suitable-for-use-in-print" puzzle on Puzzleria!Chuck, Your noble words:"...I told him I’d be happy to play on-air again, but opined that it might piss off some folks, being so soon after the last time. I offered to let him pick someone else if he wanted to. He did and thanked me for the offer. Never been called again...."It's painful posts like that that make me want to crawl into a hole and wear sackcloth and ashes. I apologize to you. You did the right thing. Mea maxima culpa!

Now, I understand, we here in Seattle are awaiting the birth of a baby giraffe at our Woodland Park Zoo. So here we go again! Why aren't more people outraged at this lack of propriety? I simply cannot understand why the zoo keepers cannot get across to the giraffes that they need to keep it restricted to harmless necking. Just the idea of unmarried giraffes copulating makes me sick to my stomach.